Caution using UPS: UPS is adding charges after the fact

[patriot_bearing_supply]

"Some of your shipping labels have adjustments
Hi Jason,

UPS has some cost adjustments on your shipping labels. We attempted to charge or credit your account based on whether you underpaid or overpaid."

2 packages, UPS has added a $27 charge each. The shipping was about $50 and $55 for the packages, so about a 50% increase in the cost. UPS is going this to generate extra revenue, since you are not THEIR customer, you can't dispute it with them, and most people are just going to pay it or not know any different. And no, I didn't put the weight or dimensions in wrong. This is not the first time this has happened.... and I have lost money on sales because they have charged so much. It is not unusual for me to sell something that is $10 and someone wants it shipped overnight. Now UPS adds a $20 charge to that, and I'm in the hole $15.

[bonanza125]

Multiple complaints have been made. I would recommend switching to USPS to avoid that issue.

[loose_goose_garage]

What reasoning did they give?

[redlinear]

They don't just increase the price to what it should be (IF your measurements were wrong).
They increase it and charge a penalty as well.
1) Lets say that there was a piece of tape that ran across the top (long dimension), and down the side 5 inches.
IF that piece of tape pulled loose a little bit and the end was lifted up, dangling.  They will pull it on out and measure it.  And ADD 5 inches to that measurement.  They'll do that all over the package if they can.
2) It passed by some bonehead employee that can't measure.
3) It passed by some new employee trying to impress his boss (he's adjusting "everything")
4) It got tangled up on a conveyor belt or something, made an employee mad, and got "adjusted" just because.   
5) FedEx drivers are contract.  One has a little bit of a difficult time with something. It's getting adjusted.  UPS drivers are employees. They mad at the company when things get difficult. FedEx driver blames the sender.
6) Package Audits at a particular Hub, or Company wide.  Employees having to measure everything PLUS do their normal job.  Frustrated and just don't care (all sorts of stuff get "adjusted").

Number 6) more than likely right now.   I got Several this morning.  Assume everybody is probably getting a few right now.   This will last for a couple weeks. 
We weight and measure WAY big.  Doesn't seem to help at all when FedEx or UPS gets on this Adjustment Thing.
Makes one wonder if FedEx/UPS just needs some extra money to pay the bills.

Don't bother trying to dispute it.  Waste of time. And time is $$.  (More $$ than you'll ever recoup)

OF note:  We see a lot of USPS "adjustments" as well.  Usually like number 6) kind of all together in spurts of adjustments instead of a random adjustment every now and then.
However, Pretty much all of those are in my favor.  

[tobaccocardyahoo]

UPS charges for address adjustments as well as size adjustments. If the buyer has entered an incorrectly formatted address, you may see that amount for an address adjustment.

[wastingtime101]

Hi @patriot_bearing_supply . 

There are many surcharges with UPS and FedEx that are not factored in until the carrier physically reviews the package as eBay's shipping calculator does not currently have a way to factor in non-standard packaging.

In order to help you determine if your charge was legit or in error (and how to appeal), view the label details and expand the section on the bottom right that says see cost breakdown (highlighted below in green). Black out order #, tracking #, and buyer ID and post a screenshot.

Please also provide a physical description of the package (box, bag, tube, box with handle, etc).

Read more in the UPS Guide - start on page 126:

https://www.ups.com/assets/resources/webcontent/en_US/retail_rates.pdf

You can find guides for all carriers on eBay Seller Center under "preventing shipping label price adjustments."

https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/shipping/preparing-your-shipment/packaging-and-measuring

[simba6]

They all have been doing that for some time.  Fedex is by far the worst.  Some have been billed over a thousand dollars.  It's scary to be sure.

[bashort]

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@patriot_bearing_supply wrote:

"Some of your shipping labels have adjustments
Hi Jason,

UPS has some cost adjustments on your shipping labels. We attempted to charge or credit your account based on whether you underpaid or overpaid."

2 packages, UPS has added a $27 charge each. The shipping was about $50 and $55 for the packages, so about a 50% increase in the cost. UPS is going this to generate extra revenue, since you are not THEIR customer, you can't dispute it with them, and most people are just going to pay it or not know any different. And no, I didn't put the weight or dimensions in wrong. This is not the first time this has happened.... and I have lost money on sales because they have charged so much. It is not unusual for me to sell something that is $10 and someone wants it shipped overnight. Now UPS adds a $20 charge to that, and I'm in the hole $15.

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I have cut my use of UPS by probably 90% because of this kind of thing, when I do use UPS I do it through pirate ship where at least I can appeal it

[rhiggsbear]

I pretty much go with USPS due to up-charges being levied by UPS and FedEx,  with FedEx being the worst of the two.  I do offer UPS as a choice on some items.  Recently, I got a $0.27 refund from UPS!!!   🙂

[redlinear]

I got another BATCH of adjustments this morning.
ALL in my favor (UPS and FedEx).
  Seems both are checking and "adjusting" everything right now.
This will probably continue for a week or two. 
Then things will be to normal with the occasional/random adjustment every so often.
   Kind of stinks though:  When the adjustment is in their favor, it's $30.00,  When it's in my favor it's $1.47

[gator08041971]

I agree with @bashort 

Use PirateShip for your UPS and FedEx label purchases.  Better chance of fighting a gross over charge.

Couple things to remember:

UPS and FedEx often will use dimensional weight, not actual weight when calculating the cost.  Even if the package is like 1 pound, but its in a 16x16x16 box, that will raise it to a different weight category, regardless if it weighs a pound.  I think PirateShip calculates it better, but I could be mistaken.

I only use UPS when I have something heavier to ship, 99% of my items go out USPS, and I never have issues with being charged extra after the fact.   The biggest things is to be accurate and round UP, not down.

[wastingtime101]

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@gator08041971 wrote:

UPS and FedEx often will use dimensional weight, not actual weight when calculating the cost.  Even if the package is like 1 pound, but its in a 16x16x16 box, that will raise it to a different weight category, regardless if it weighs a pound.  I think PirateShip calculates it better, but I could be mistaken.

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You are mistaken. eBay's shipping calculator accurately calculates billable weight (whichever is greater between actual weight and dimensional weight), plus factors in size surcharges. eBay does this for all 3 carriers: UPS, FedEx and USPS

What eBay's calculator does not currently do is factor in surcharges for nonstandard / irregular packaging which the carrier applies after physically reviewing the package @gator08041971 . PirateShip does have a way to enter package type (box, tube, envelope, etc) so perhaps that's what you're thinking of.

[gator08041971]

And yet, despite it calculating those things, it still gets it wrong or it goes wrong later.  And I was referring to those two shippers for when they are shipping the package, more than when ordering the label.

I don't trust the eBay calculator at all when it comes to UPS or FedEx to get it right, even if I know I have the correct measurements and weight.  I now use PirateShip for any package I have to ship with those services.  I do use USPS via eBay, and have not had an issue with them to date, outside of delayed packages a few times a year both shipped to a buyer and coming from a seller.